Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

He was less effective at 8 to start the year also though because we essentially couldn't get quick ball without him so its less number on the back and more composition of the pack. If we put mccarthy in a psdt role i think hed excel right now but that means someone else picks up the slack in other areas

There’s not one player in the back five who that statement isn’t applicable to. There aren’t any perfect players out there - everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

What we haven’t lacked in recent times for Ireland is disciplined automatons who can play in complicated systems with high levels of accuracy.

What we have lacked (at the very highest level) is big physical players who can be difference makers as carriers and hitters and bring a bit of intensity and physicality to our pack.

Id take the chance on him and have him in the 23 this Friday.

Ringrose out is a huge loss, Henshaw’s been better the last couple of weeks in Europe but still hasn’t looked his best this season. 13 probably his best position though and has historically had a great partnership with Bundee.

6-2 makes some sense to me - Frawley’s versatility makes it viable, though any injury to a back three player is problematic.

Definitely can see 6-2 for France - they’ve so many options in their pack with loads of big bruisers who are versatile. Similarly - Thomas Ramos’ ability to slot in at 10 gives them a lot of options in the backs too along with Moefana’s ability to slot in at centre or wing.

So Ireland are following Leinster down the South African path

I posted about him in the Champions Cup thread the other night... I discovered that stats site over the weekend. Coombes is carrying into contact... and if I am reading it right... on purpose, ideally committing tacklers, and with a view to offloading. And is hitting the gainline better than most, but as you say, not making huge metres per carry.

Here was my reading of it from that thread in relation to his carrying:

"He's top carrier of URC in Europe (I thought those stats were for Europe and not just leagues, think I'm wrong on that?) and 4th overall (when including players from English/French leagues). Only 7 of his carries weren't into contact... he's 55 carries ahead in that regard of URC players! Very clear what his role is. Of that Top 20 (carriers) he has the lowest dominant carry rate... but he's 8th for gainline success. He's consistently making some very hard yards is my reading of that?

In addition, of those Top 20 carriers he's 2nd for committing 2+ tacklers to his carries.

Can't find offloading stats for Europe here but he's well capable of an offload. At the very least he's freeing up space in the backline if we get quick ball, which if you look at Munster's linebreaks stats or the likes of Nankivell's stats alone... appears to be working, maybe? Also, he's Munster's second highest offloader for the season behind Frisch (Source: Munster website) so maybe that solves that one?"

As I said in that post, I guess it depends on what coaches want from their players/gameplan.

The France team has been named. Still very strong despite their injuries and absence of Dupont.

L'Equipe leaked it on Monday night, I believe. Think everyone was just copying and pasting from then.

Ireland team is as Thornley predicted. Ringrose is out, McCarthy starts and a 6-2 bench split.

That's a bizarre bench with the 6/2

JDV has to play full game - no replacement 7, POM wont play 80

Who's coverering wing even centre - You can do this with Ringrose

Frawley plays 12. Conan or Doris can switch to 7 if needed, but teams generally don't put a sub 7 on the bench.

Presumably Keenan moves to the wing and Frawley goes to 15 if we need it.

And Frawley or Crowley to 12 if we need a centre.

And if it's a double injury then Gibson park ends up on the wing but that's the risk you take.

Doris covers 7. POM at a pinch. Baird and Conan will likely replace VDF and POM. JGP can cover wing.